Style Analysis: DICTION
Part II: DICTION
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When you analyze style, you will often
cite from the passage to support the
points you make. The best way to
include quotations is by integrating
them smoothly into your own
sentences. Integrating quotations is
also called embedding, incorporating,
or weaving in quotations.
What NOT to do
The author uses the words “rigid,
arrested, and thinning” to show his
opinions.
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In other words, do not LIST examples
of diction to be analyzed.
BETTER
The snake “lay rigid,” “arrested” in
time and place in the “thinning” light
of the desert.
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This integrates the quotations
smoothly and skillfully into the writer’s
own sentence structure.
Note

If you change the form of a word
when you quote or add words of your
own to the original citation, you must
enclose those words in brackets to
show your reader what you did.
The snake “lay rigid,” “arrested” in time
and place as the light “[thinned]” in
the desert.
Diction Review
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The words diction and language are
terms that you will use
interchangeably when you analyze an
author’s style. These words all refer
to the author’s word choice.

Word choice is the most powerful element
of style for you to understand. If the
directions in the prompt do not give you any
specific techniques to analyze, always
address diction in paragraph #2 (the first
body paragraph)—you won’t be wrong.
Many words in our language have strong
connotations, and authors use them on
purpose to elicit certain responses from the
reader.
Denotation vs. Connotation
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Denotation  dictionary definition
Connotation  suggested meaning
The words plump and obese both
literally describe a person who is
overweight. This is the dictionary
definition of both words.
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The word plump has the connotation of
being pleasantly fat, almost cutely
overweight. Its connotation describes
women more often than men. It is this
extra “emotional” feeling that shows how
we use the word.
The word obese, often used by medical
personnel, has a more technical
connotation. It carries a less emotional,
more scientific or clinical emotional tag.
Now you try

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Generate a list of words you would use to
describe a dwelling where a person may
live.
Discuss, with your partner, the various
emotional “tags” associated with each of the
dwellings you listed. How are they subtly
connotatively different from one another,
even though they share the same
connotative meaning?
Remember this sentence?
The boy surveyed the class,
congratulating himself for snatching
the highest grade on the test.
Two words are important here:
surveyed and snatching. They are the
words with the strongest connotations.
Writing commentary for
your diction analysis

“surveyed”
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“snatching”
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conveys the idea of
someone looking
around as if he
were a king gazing
down on lesser
beings
YOU TRY THE
COMMENTARY
Group practice/model:
“The Rattler”

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Re-read “The Rattler”
Annotate the excerpt for words that
have strong connotations, especially
words that reflect the man’s attitude
toward the snake and his task at hand
Diction paragraph:
brainstorming

“arrested”

“live wire”
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“little tocsin”
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frozen in time,
caught by a force
stronger than the
snake
adversary meets
adversary, electric
feeling, potential
danger
an alarm, a warning
bell on a ship
Diction paragraph:
topic sentence

Your topic sentence should include the word
diction and give a focus for the paragraph
(what is the diction DOING?)
The author’s diction heightens the power and
force behind the snake as it responds to the
man, first placidly, then aggressively.
Diction paragraph:
writing the CD
You will write one example sentence in which
you integrate words and phrases you have
circled, underlined, or highlighted
 REMEMBER: This CD looks different from
those you have written before; this one is a
sentence with several words pulled from the
passage WOVEN in to your own sentence, not
a WHOLE sentence taken from the passage!
Ex: “Arrested,” the snake becomes a “live wire”
after he shakes his “little tocsin” at the man.

Diction paragraph:
adding commentary

The commentary analyzes the connotations of
the quotations.
“Arrested,” the snake becomes a “live wire”
after he shakes his “little tocsin” at the man.
Unmoving at first, the snake plays a waiting
game as adversary meets adversary across an
imaginary line drawn in the desert. Then a
feeling of electricity jolts the reader, heart
beating faster from the noise of the warning
that, like battle stations aboard a ship, calls all
to readiness.
Composing the Whole
Diction Paragraph
At least TWO CHUNKS 
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Topic sentence
CD (integration of examples)
CM
CM
CD (integration of examples)
CM
CM
Concluding sentence
Sample: Complete Diction
Paragraph (handout)
The author’s diction heightens the power and force behind
the snake as it responds to the man, first placidly, then
aggressively. “Arrested,” the snake becomes a “live wire” after
he shakes his “little tocsin” at the man. Unmoving at first, the
snake plays a waiting game as adversary meets adversary
across an imaginary line drawn in the desert. Then a feeling of
electricity jolts the reader, heart beating faster from the noise
of the warning that, like battle stations aboard a ship, calls all
to readiness. Yet it must lose; despite its attempts to retreat to
a “paper-bag bush,” the snake knows its life has been “dearly
sold,” but it remains “sinuous and self-respecting” in the man’s
mind. The hiding place is an illusion, and a costly one. The
snake’s valiant behavior adds dignity to its last moments. All
involved recognize the strength of both the man and the
almost-human snake but know that responsibility and
commitment to others make the killing necessary.
Independent Practice:
Douglass Passage
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Read the Douglass passage again, annotating for words that
stand out as having strong connotations, especially words that
reflect Douglass’ different but complementary tones.
Complete a diction brainstorming.
Write a topic sentence for the diction paragraph.
Weave two or three of the examples you found into a CD.
Add two sentences of commentary that analyze the connotations
of the words you wove together. Remember to think about how
the connotations of the words connect to his tone(s).
Repeat steps 4 and 5 to create second chunk.
Add a concluding sentence.
USE “THE RATTLER” MODEL!!!!
If you need a “clean” copy of “The Rattler” or the Douglass
excerpt, both are available in the “Handouts” section of the class
website.